2014 baseball preview: Led by young stars and ace pitchers, Hurricanes hope for Omaha return

CORAL GABLES — Since they were little kids, WillieAbreu and ZackCollins had their springtime weekends mapped out.

“What are we doing this weekend? Going to the Canes game,” Abreu said. “We’ve been doing this our whole lives.”

Thanks to a friend’s dad who had tickets, they used to attend 10 to 15 Hurricanes games a season. They would sit in the third-base side and rag on opposing players, grab milkshakes from the concession, high-five the Miami Maniac and run the basepaths after the final out.

Of course, they dreamed of becoming Hurricanes themselves. With that now a reality, they’re chasing another dream.

UM hasn’t been to the College World Series since 2008, but this year’s team believes it can get there. Why? A pitching rotation that could be one of the nation’s best and a much-needed infusion of offense, sparked by two kids who grew up wanting to hit homers in Coral Gables.

“This is the best place to be,” said Abreu, who last June was drafted in the 14th round by the Cincinnati Reds but opted to come to Miami. “I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else. This is what I love. I’ve wanted to come to Miami since I was a little kid.”

Abreu (6-foot-3, 205 pounds), from Hialeah-Mater Academy, will start in right field. Collins (6-3, 220) was the Reds’ 27th-round choice, but the former Plantation-American Heritage star will play first base and bat third for Miami. They aren’t the only players who opted to put their major league futures on hold to help the home team.

Starting pitchers BryanRadziewski (29th round, St. Louis Cardinals) and JaviSalas(38th, Minnesota Twins) were drafted but returned to, in Radziewski’s words, “make things right.” The Canes went 37-25 (14-16 in the ACC) last year, making their record 41st consecutive NCAA tournament appearance but losing in the Louisville Regional.

“We haven’t reached a super regional since we’ve been here,” Radziewski said. “We want to show what we can do.”

They give UM a wealth of pitching, a four-deep rotation that looks even better than last season. No. 1 starter ChrisDiaz (7-5, 1.64 ERA) and Radziewski (9-3, 1.78 ERA) were second and third in the ACC in ERA, while Radziewski was fourth in strikeouts (109). A year removed from shoulder surgery, his fastball now reaches the low-90s instead of the high-80s and his slider is biting harder. No Canes player improved more than No. 3 starter AndrewSuarez (3-6, 3.95 ERA), who after raising his velocity to the low-90s to the mid-90s is considered UM’s top draft prospect. Salas (5-5, 3.18) could be dominant as a mid-week starter.

Diaz will start Friday’s 7 p.m. season opener against Maine.

“I don’t know if I’ve had a better quality four guys together,” UM coach JimMorris said. “It’s got to be as good a rotation, back-to-back-to-back-to-back, as there is in the country.”

Pitching coach J.D. Arteaga called it the “most complete” rotation UM’s had in his 12 seasons there. “We’ve had pretty good one-two punches in the past,” he said, “but as far as having four guys across the board … for us, it’s very rare.”

In the bullpen, the Canes hope senior A.J. Salcines (3-3, 7.28 ERA), the team’s MVP after a dominant sophomore season, bounces back from a woeful 2013 and becomes the replacement for closer Eric Nedeljkovic (ACC-best 13 saves).

Last year’s pitchers were taxed because of a lack of offense (.258 team batting average and 4.5 runs per game, both second-worst in ACC). They should be able to breathe easier this year thanks in part to Collins, who led UM in hitting in the fall — Radziewski called him “an animal” — and live-drive hitter Abreu.

“It’s huge for our lineup,” said sophomore third baseman David Thompson, last year’s top power man (six homers, 46 RBI) and leading returning hitter (.286). “We’re expecting them to produce a lot for us. I think they’re studs. They hit the crap out of the ball. I can’t wait to watch them hit against guys that aren’t ours.”

Thompson, coming off shoulder surgery, said he’s “100 percent for the first time in a couple years. I’m throwing the baseball better than I have in my entire life.”

Another player who’s feeling good: senior center fielder DaleCarey. He hit just .192 last year, but thanks to new strength coach BrianGabriel and a eating and lifting regimen, he added 24 pounds and feels he can spray the ball to all fields. Junior catcher GarrettKennedy, an outstanding defender, looks to build on a strong finish to 2013 that saw him named the Louisville Regional All-Tournament team.

Another freshman, Johnny Ruiz, will likely start at second. Former Palm Beach Central standout Alex Hernandez, a senior, could get the call at short. Freshman Jacob Heyward, Jason’s brother, or 6-6, 230-pound freshman Brad Zunica may DH. Senior Tyler Palmer or sophomore Ricky Eusebio are the options in left.

Bullpen arms who could emerge are lefty Danny Garcia and right-hander Bryan Garcia, who are not related, and freshman submariner Cooper Hammond.

The underlying story here is Morris, who won national titles in 1999 and 2001 but has taken heat in recent years for UM not being a premier program. An excellent decision was the re-hire of hitting coach and recruiting coordinator Gino DiMare, which has yielded top-10 classes in the last two years; this incoming class was ranked No. 6 by Baseball America, its highest rank since 2006.

Morris, 63 and in his 21st season at UM, knows he won’t coach forever. He’s re-energized after last year’s health scare, a near-deadly bout with pneumonia that left him in a hospital while the Canes’ season ended in the Louisville Regional. That, coupled with reality his four top pitchers could turn pro this summer, means there is no better time than now to get back to the big stage.

“I feel this club, if they keep working hard which I know they will, if they keep progressing like they should, we’ve got a chance to go to Omaha,” Morris said. “This club’s got a chance, and I’m excited about that.”

You don’t have to ask Abreu if he’s excited. It’s written all over his face. Ask him about the Canes going to Omaha, and he shows you goosebumps on his arm.

“It gives me shivers to just think about it,” he said. “It’s time for the U to get back on top. That’s where we belong. That’s where we should be. We need to get there. It’s time.”

Along the way, they might inspire a few future Hurricanes.

Abreu still cherishes the foul ball he caught, later signed by beloved coach Ron Fraser. Collins mentioned the picture of him horsing around with former Canes star GabySanchez on the field. Sanchez, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was at the field Tuesday preparing for spring training, leaving the field before Collins and his teammates began practice.

One of Collins’ favorite memories at a Canes game was watching former catcher YasmaniGrandal launch a homer into the third deck of the parking garage beyond right field. “That was pretty cool,” Collins said.

In a recent batting practice, Collins hit a ball into the same garage.

“That was pretty cool, too,” he said.

Last year, not too many players homered in BP. There’s a different feeling in Coral Gables this spring.

“Our hitting’s way better than last year,” Suarez said. “And we have the same pitching we did last year.